France and the UK will resume discussions on how to tackle the Channel migrant crisis, after Paris retracted its refusal of negotiations.
Jean Castex, French Prime Minister, will address Boris Johnson with his proposals for a balanced agreement between the UK & the EU on Tuesday
But France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin launched yet another attack on the UK and said discussions could take place ‘very quickly’ – but only if Britain stopped engaging in ‘double-speak’ and entered negotiations in a ‘serious spirit’.
It was a dig at the UK as France continued to fume about Johnson’s decision to publish a letter to Emmanuel Macron on Twitter.
On Monday, Darmanin suggested the letter was an example of UK ministers communicating differently in public than they were in private in yet another ratcheting up of tensions.
Priti Patel was banned from Calais Summit on Channel migrant crises at the weekend because of anger over the letter.
France has suggested that talks with Britain could be resumed, however this is Paris’ latest attempt to downplay the possibility.


Boris Johnson wrote last week to Emmanuel Macron requesting France return all the migrants that had crossed the Channel. The French weren’t happy with his tweeting of it first on Twitter.

Jean Castex, French Prime Minister and Photographer (pictured), will address Boris Johnson with suggestions for a balanced agreement between the UK & the EU on Tuesday
A UK government source said it appeared to be a ‘positive’ move after the diplomatic row which erupted following the capsize last week of a migrant boat with the loss of 27 lives.
A source said to The Times that they are ready to discuss the matter, just as we have always done. We’ll need to see the specifics but we look forward to those conversations.’
French President Emmanuel Macron became furious at Johnson’s tweet calling for French shore patrols and French return of those migrants who crossed the Channel.
It was an inane way of negotiating, Mr Macron stated. Darmanin however said that Monday was a day when the two countries should work together to resolve a problem.
He said that “From now on there is no double-speak” and that we could discuss with a serious mind and our private conversations correspond to our public ones, so the French government was ready to resume talks with Great Britain very soon.
According to Mr Darmanin, the Castex proposals could open legal pathways to Britain for asylum seekers as well as to unaccompanied minors who wish to live with their relatives.
But he stated that France cannot accept turning back ships at sea. He added: “This is a red-line for the French government.”
In the meantime, Johnson will hold online talks with Alexander de Croo, the Belgian prime Minister.
Downing Street maintains its belief that the only deterrent to migration to the Channel is a returned agreement. This was stated by Johnson in his letter.

Port of Dover officials have today secured the marina for inflatable boats belonging to migrants who cross the English Channel from France.
Darmanin earlier called Britain’s appeal to France for migrants’ return a “mockery”.
This argument was central to Macron’s last week letter from the Prime Minister to Macron. It is based on the conviction that any return to France for asylum would end the business model used by people traffickers.
Today, Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister of Britain suggested that this letter is an example of UK ministers communicating in public a different way than in private.
BFMTV was told by him that there were serious diplomatic exchanges.. And lives are at risk… then you notice that a Twitter post from the British Prime minister to the President in France is published. This letter has never been mentioned before.
It’s absurd that the English have written in this letter asking the French to ‘take back all of their migrants, their migrants’.
After stating that British-French relations aren’t ‘normal’ at the moment, he said that “our private exchanges” is not always aligned with our public ones. He then blamed Britain’s “black economy” for providing a draw factor for migrants.
Earlier he had tweeted: ‘When Mr Johnson says that France must ‘take back its migrants’, what he is really asking is for France to exonerate him from any responsibility for receiving them.
“The British government must accept responsibility.”
His comments came after it emerged Priti Patel had struck an agreement with Dutch ministers that migrants should be returned to the first country they arrive after opening direct talks with European ministers after the deaths of at least 27 people last week.
After President Macron took offense at the alleged violation of protocol, Miss Patel was barred by France from participating in a Calais summit.
Despite his tantrum, the Home Office said Miss Patel spoke with her Dutch counterpart yesterday and secured crucial agreements on reforms.
A spokesman said both ministers acknowledged that returns agreements – allowing migrants to be sent from the UK back to other EU nations – were ‘essential for breaking the criminal business model’ operated by organised crime gangs who charge more than £3,000 per illegal crossing.
France repeatedly rejected any deal to allow migrants returning from the UK.

Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister of today, suggested that this letter is an example of UK ministers communicating in public differently than in private during yet another upping of tensions.
Whitehall sources said that they would have additional talks next week with their counterparts to discuss how we could work together in order to solve the crisis throughout Europe. Priti’s Nationality and Borders Bill, which is Priti’s first action in the addressing of the flawed asylum system and all the draw factors that it creates, is the first.
Yesterday’s meeting saw France agree to let Frontex, Europe’s Border and Coast Guard Agency, fly over its coast from Wednesday. France repeatedly turned down the UK’s offer of an aerial reconnaissance plane.
Sources within the UK government stated that they want closer collaboration and want to collaborate. We must all be at the table for this to occur.
An official of the Home Office said that Miss Patel met with Ankie Broekers, the Dutch immigration minister and agreed that “the tragic incidents last week show the importance for European partners to collaborate”.
A spokesperson added that the Home Secretary regretted not being present. [the]Calais: Meeting of Interior Ministers for this discussion.
The Home Secretary and Minister for Migration discussed options for increased bilateral and EU cooperation, which included the need to combat criminal gangs involved in these deadly journeys via shared intelligence and joint enforcement initiatives. Both ministers agreed that the key to breaking criminal business models is the implementation of returns agreements.
It is believed that talks with other countries are being planned for this week. On Wednesday, three children, seven girls and seventeen men were killed in Calais while trying to get to the UK via northern France.
Macron lambasted PM Boris Johnson on Friday for his five-point Twitter action plan. That led Mr Darmanin rescinding Miss Patel’s invitation yesterday to the talks.
In Sunday’s Sun, the Home Secretary stated that he needed to think creatively about new solutions to maximize their impact. That’s why the prime minister of France and I are open to discussing ideas with French counterparts.
Health Secretary and former home secretary Sajid Javid said the PM’s strategy – including joint Anglo-French patrols and return agreements – were ‘exactly the kinds of things we need to do’. Our policy is clear, these boats should be stopped. Sky News spoke to him about the French’s cooperation.
Since the beginning of 2019, more than 26500 migrants have arrived in the UK, compared to just 8,410 for 2020.

He made these comments after Priti Patel, a Dutch minister, had agreed that migrants must be returned home to their country of origin after they have opened direct talks with European ministers.